Semi-weekly south Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1883-1889, 1887-08-30

INTO inc water, iescueu nor ana Drought ner
safely to land. She, it proved, was young
teacher who, intent upon holiday, had
como unattended on board the yacht, She
was not handsome, as heroines arc general
ly painted in novels, but she was wonder
fully attractive. AT least so Phillip Caledon
found her, for he devoted himself to her
from that day, and in less than three
months they were married. She was an
orphan, and he took her at once TO live in
his grand country scat where ho had every
thing fitted up in the richest style, and they
were as happy as two birds, they said, being
entirely devoted TO each other.
But hoy Jared it with Lenora Eldridge,
who had firmly set her heart on being mis-
tress Of CGledon, and whom rumor very
kindly pointed out us the Tilted fair ono OF
Philip Caledon. That she was angry, NOR
I tifioa and wounded VIC have no doubt, but
she did not choose 10 please her many adj
hiring friends by wearing the willow even
for Phillip Caledon. Accordingly the we'd
ding bells had hardly ceased ringing for
Phillip caledon and Dorcas Wclby when
they rang again for Edgar Barrett and 10
nora Eldridge.
Then all seemed settled for awhile for
everybody except for Agnes Armund,
the poor widows daughter, who lived in o
little cottage on the Caledon estate, and who
had loved and worshiped Phillip Caledon as
neither Lenora Eldridge nor Dorcas Wolby
ever did. 1t was the love of a life time, tho
love that il tho curse of some, that she
poured, all unaSked, at his feet And he-
why q careless not a kindly smile, q helping
hand, was all he ever dreamed Of bestowing
on the coarse, lonely hireling who would
navo given her life for him 80 gladly.
"But with Agnes Armund, as l said before,
all seemed strangely unsettled, and people
were wont TO shake their heads when they
passed her, for twas said she was little
queer. Howbeit, year passed away, and
there was born TO Mr.. Barrett beautiful
twin bog and girl. They were the joy Of
their fathers heart, he said, and if rumor
spoke true, he had need of something TO
comfort him beside tho cold, unfolding
woman who had married him simply for
subterfuge from gossip, and who made his
life burden by her sharp complaining
about their poverty; for he was only a
struggling young barrister, and could not
afford many Injuries to his beautiful, but
unhappy, young wife. But, suddenly, just
as prospects wero beginning to brighten for
them, Mr.. Barrett died, leaving his young
wife in poor circumstances, with her two
children only year old. simultaneously
with his death was the death of Dorcas
Caledon, Philip Caledon's young, much-loved
wife, She left tiny babe only day old; a
little girl-Dorcas, they called her, after her
mother. Mr.. Caledon was nearly crazed
with grief at the loss of his wife; but grad
ually he began TO look upon the babe with
some interest and to find comfort in watch
Ing It's pretty attempt at playfulness, for it
60
"But what was the horror and anguish Of
the father and the grief and CONSERVATION
of tho servants, when one day the little
crib was found empty, and no trace Of the
babe could be obtained. The nurse had left
1t quietly sleeping in its little bed, and when
she returned it was gone. In vain they
searched; in vain offered immense rewards
for even tho faintest clue; none could DO
gained. 1t remained o mystery, as if the
ground had suddenly opened and swallowed
her up, so suddenly did the baby heiress Of
Caledon disappear from her home and the
loving hearts that cherished her. Mr..
Caledon was never the same man again;
he grew silent and sometimes harsh. Even
the presence of his father and mother
failed to cheer and comfort him, as Of yore,
though they strove to the utmost to change
his grief for his wife and child and set his
mind in differ emit channels.
ut was thus that Lena Barrett found him
on her return from her parents, with whom
she had been living, and she at once set
about devising means for winning the
master Of Caledon for q second husband.
In this she succeeded, for Mr.. Caledon,
urged by his parents, who feared their
sons reason would become impaired by his
grief, finally married tho beautiful Widow
Barrett, and installed her as the future
mistress of Caledon.
snow, indeed, was LenOra Caiedon tri-
Gmphant; the position she coveted was hers,
she was supremely happy for season. But
there is crease in every roseleaf, tits said,
and Mrs. Caledon found hers TO be no ex-
ception to the general rule, for she had
been married but q short time when who
should appear but Agnes Armund, who
simply asked to sec Mrs. Caledon, and in
the Interview that followed gave evidence
Of very correct knowledge Of the where
abouts of Dorcas Caledon, for whom the sor-
rowful father was then mourning his life
away, praying ever for only one glimpse of
baby Dorcas before he died.
at would have been naturally supposed
that Mrs. Caledon would have caught eager
ly at this clue Of restoring TO her husband
what would have been such a stimulant TO
his failing state, the restoration Of his be-
loved child. But far from it, indeed, were
her intentions, she had no idea Of being sec
ond TO little Dorcas in tho affections and
generosity Of tho master Of Caledon; be:
sides her own children were just gaining |
favor with their stepfather, and there was |
no doubt if he died without leaving an heir, |
they would inherit the Caledon property, |
fba f,,Ie k,ft
bent all the energies Of her strong, passion
ate nature
"By skillful brides she secured the promise |
Of half-crazed Agnes Armund 10 keep the |
knowledge she possessed a secret She |
also worked upon the fears of the poor
creature, declaring If She were to reveal |
the whereabouts OF the babe ar even re-
store it to its father, she would certainly be
imprisoned for abduction, and no doubt
q long term Of penal servitude would be
her reward. She took care, also, to enlarge
upon the debt of revenge that Agnes owed
Philip Caledon for the sighting of the
great love she bore him.
AN these combined sufficed 10 bcwildef
and confuse the already tortured mind, ana
so with evil tenacity she Rugged the pre-
cious secret TO her bosom, and lived on. ever
unhappy and wretched, yet bitter and un-
'But in few years, worn by grief and
vain searching for his lost child, Mr.. Gale
don sank into his grave, and Calednu
Heights was without master, and The OLD
name extinct, except for old Mr. Caledon-
whose heart was broken at bis sons death.
and for whom he had never ceased to mourn.
''Mrs. Caledon, though She mourned her
II seems was not inconsolable, us
she married again SHORTLY after his death.
lrma and Irving Barrett, on opening the will
Of Phillip Caledon, wero found to be his
sole heirs with one clause only in tho will
that was should the lost heir Of his estate,
bis beloved daughter, Dorcas Caledon,
ever be discovered, then the estate should
be hers with the exception Of legacy to
both Irma and her brother.
at was after the death Of Phillip Caledon
that glimpse Of the great wrong she had
committed TO this man began TO dawn upon
The mind Of Agnes Armund. Buteven then
the desire fer revenge was too strong to al
low her to make reparation. She loved to
shink OK tho heiress OF Calelon as "a depend. /.
ent among strangers, TO gloat over the
Thought that when she should have grown
she should go out into tho hard world and
DO d poor, oppressed, hard-worked drudge |
for the Same pitiless world that had treated i,
n Z a NM Ill